Pre-Game Talk: Game 3: Stevie comes home, do we make him leave sad?

[Soft Rock Renegade]

hate having smith back in. ideal world our pairs are:

kronwall-marchenko
ddk-quincey
oullette-ericsson

with ddk-quincey taking the toughest assignments

would even prefer kindl over smith. zidlicki doesn't belong on this team. he needs a point per game just to not hurt us. i fault the fowards (tatar, weiss) more than marchenko for those goals. but i guess babs sees it differently.

please no more of this myth that smith was our best d-man in the playoffs last year. who made that up pierre maguire? has anyone actually ever seen him clear the zone without icing the puck?

 

[hot dog]

And I hate the idea of a Smith-Zidlicky pairing. I would want Dekeyser with Zidlicky, but that would only leave Quincey and Smith to play together, so no. This team needs to break up Ericsson and Kronwall. I don't know why that's one thing that seems iron clad and not up to be changed when we've tinkered with the forwards to the point of having Glendening on the top line for a stretch.

Kronwall - Smith
Dekeyser - Zidlicky/Quincey
Ericsson - Quincey/Zidlicky

Just feels so much safer.

 

[DanZ]

And I hate the idea of a Smith-Zidlicky pairing. I would want Dekeyser with Zidlicky, but that would only leave Quincey and Smith to play together, so no. This team needs to break up Ericsson and Kronwall. I don't know why that's one thing that seems iron clad and not up to be changed when we've tinkered with the forwards to the point of having Glendening on the top line for a stretch.

Kronwall - Smith
Dekeyser - Zidlicky/Quincey
Ericsson - Quincey/Zidlicky

Just feels so much safer.

I feel the same way. Babcock's refusal to adjust the defense pairings all year when that is clearly our biggest weakness is quite puzzling.

 

[ap3x]

hate having smith back in. ideal world our pairs are:

kronwall-marchenko
ddk-quincey
oullette-ericsson

with ddk-quincey taking the toughest assignments

That Ouellet without any PO experience and that stood on ice for 7 GA on Saturday?

 

[TKB]

This article is essentially one big "well, duh."

Tatar, Sheahan, and Nyquist haven't been good together this year and all three of them struggled in the playoffs last year. So you put them together and it doesn't work out? Well, duh.

Weiss-Joker-Jurco has been trash defensively AND offensively? When 2/3 of the line can't score consistently and 2/3 of the line is slow and soft? Color me surprised.

Marchenko has never played on an NHL 2nd pairing in a run-of-the-mill regulation game against an average team but he's somehow not looking good facing 2nd pairing match-ups against one of the deepest offensive teams in the league in his first playoff stint? Downright shocking.

I agree with your point but would like to add that for all the grief he is taking, about defensive mishaps I still say a Sheehan/Tatar were more at fault on the Killorn goal, and Weiss was as responsible (if not more) on the Sustr goal.

 

[Laser Rayzor]

What were the matchups like in Tampa again? I know they had the Stamkos line against the TSN line and IIRC their Flip line against ZDH but I don't remember the other 2. Hopefully Babs can use last change to get our 3rd line against their 4th because that's the only matchup where I can our 3rd line coming out on top.

 

[Eggberto]

I agree with your point but would like to add that for all the grief he is taking, about defensive mishaps I still say a Sheehan/Tatar were more at fault on the Killorn goal, and Weiss was as responsible (if not more) on the Sustr goal.

On sustr's quincey was also in the middle of nowhere, shadowing Stamkis in the corner forcing Marchenko to play on his off hand. The 4th goal quincey pinched and decided not to backcheck hard--- evidenced by the fact that Datsyuk and Z were back trying to cover way before Quincey even though quincey had optimal time to get back after the pinch.

Quincey is awful.

 

[odin1981]

Games 3 and 4 are a must win if we want to take this series. If we split we are gonna get eliminated. Hopefully a 2-3 to 0-1 W. They must start on time.

 

[iDangleDangle]

I really hate seeing a 3rd line of Andy-Sheahan-Jurco. Sheahan is so alone in that line offensively. Andersson shouldn't be anywhere but the pressbox or the 4th line in a team trying to win.

Would it be such a risk to try Pulkkinen in that line instead of Andy? His play as of late wasn't anything special, but I don't think he was a liability out there and his shot commands some attention from TB, even if he still has much to learn in regards of using it effectively in the NHL. Could also spark our PP which has gone MIA, IF used properly in the "Ovy" spot on the left side instead of the middle of the PK unit.

Sheahan and Jurco are defensively responsible, and I just can't see Wings going deep with only two lines that can create offense (especially considering that many of the players on those said lines have been struggling pretty badly lately).

 

[Electric Thunder]

I'm elated to see Abby back, hopefully at 100%. He and LGD had a huge part in getting us into the playoffs this year.

 

[Invictus12]

Ansar Khan @AnsarKhanMLive · 28m 28 minutes ago
Lines:
Abdelkader-Zetterberg-Nyquist
Helm-Datsyuk-Tatar
Andersson-Sheahan-Jurco
Miller-Glendening-Ferraro
Weiss and Pulkkinen rotating in.

Ansar Khan @AnsarKhanMLive · 26m 26 minutes ago
Defense pairs:
Kronwall- Cleary (holding Ericsson's place)
DeKeyser-Quincey
Smith-Zidlicky
Looks like Marchenko is out, skating with Kindl.

Ansar Khan @AnsarKhanMLive · 15m 15 minutes ago
Power-play units:
Nyquist-Zetterberg-Sheahan, Abdelkader (net front), Kronwall
and
Tatar-Datsyuk-Jurco, Helm (net front), Zidlicky


I like everything about those lines except Weiss should be in for Andy. Hopefully Smith can be a physical presence and play with some grit and help slow down the Tampa forecheck.

Would much prefer Ferraro on Sheahan's line. Also, Sheahan needs to start taking charge offensively. You have the ability, start using it. He's also a big kid, he needs to play to his size as well. So much potential in that guy, he needs to acknowledge it and own it!

Also think Smith is the best option to play against Johnson. Smith can be a pest, he's a pretty good skater as well... Hope Babcock tries that!

 

[Laser Rayzor]

Also, Sheahan needs to start taking charge offensively. You have the ability, start using it. He's also a big kid, he needs to play to his size as well. So much potential in that guy, he needs to acknowledge it and own it!

That's easier said than done when you're consistently being matched up against one of the league's top centers in Stamkos and their best D in Hedman. I'm hoping putting Sheahan in the #3 spot will give him a better opportunity to thrive offensively.

Assuming Tampa keeps the same lines I'd like see Babs go with:

Z's line vs. Flip's line
Dat's line vs. TKO line
Sheahan line vs. Boyle line
Glendenning line vs. Stamkos line

perhaps switching up Z line's assignment with the 4th line's assignment.

 

[Invictus12]

That's easier said than done when you're consistently being matched up against one of the league's top centers in Stamkos and their best D in Hedman. I'm hoping putting Sheahan in the #3 spot will give him a better opportunity to thrive offensively.

Assuming Tampa keeps the same lines I'd like see Babs go with:

Z's line vs. Flip's line
Dat's line vs. TKO line
Sheahan line vs. Boyle line
Glendenning line vs. Stamkos line

perhaps switching up Z line's assignment with the 4th line's assignment.

That's fair enough. I think highly of Sheahan, really do! I think he's much more able than he has shown in these two games so far. Or the season for that matter.

 

[PelagicJoe]

The only players Andersson should be ahead of on the depth chart are either on IR, or named Dan Cleary.
Play Pulkkinen or Weiss instead of the Joker.

 

[Datstromberg]

This team is a mess. So unfit for the playoffs.

 

[Heaton]

The only players Andersson should be ahead of on the depth chart are either on IR, or named Dan Cleary.
Play Pulkkinen or Weiss instead of the Joker.

Eh, Andersson is a black hole, but he's better than Pulkkinen and Weiss right now, in this situation.

 

[Invictus12]

The only players Andersson should be ahead of on the depth chart are either on IR, or named Dan Cleary.
Play Pulkkinen or Weiss instead of the Joker.

I completely agree with Babcock that our first task is to keep the goals out of our net...

If we were playing Montreal, I would rather have Weiss or Pulks over Andersson. Tampa? You're not going to outplay them offensively. We just don't have the personnel to do it. We need less defensive lapses and Andersson is a much better bet in providing that than either Weiss or Pulkkinen are.

 

[newfy]

Smith makes some boneheaded plays, no doubt about it, but he played very well last year against Boston in my opinion so I'm not opposed to giving him another shot.

Yep and hes fast, last year Smith was the wings best dman in the playoffs so might as well let him prove something now. I also think the Lightning were trying to push the wings around and Smith is one of the only guys who will give it right back.

Abdelkader coming back will be huge, between him and Smith the wings team for game 3 is much more gritty

 

[mindfly]

Will Abdelkader be able to shoot the puck?

 

[TatarTangle]

Smith-Zidlicky is going to be God awful. I'm putting the over/under for goals scored on them at two.

Smith needs a true defenseman to make him look good. Zidlicky is not that. At all.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Will Abdelkader be able to shoot the puck?

He better be. If he can't even shoot the puck, he won't be able to do anything on the ice.

 

[RRhoads]

Pulk's going to be a good player, but he needs to learn how to release his shot way quicker, and he need to be able to take wrist and snap shots.

 

[sarcastro]

O/U on Smith's PIMs in game 3:

7.5

 

[DatsDeking]

Based on the article from the Wings app it sounds like Babs is counting on Game 3 being a little chippy and that's why he wants Smith in.

 

[Kronwalled55]

Why is Ferraro still playing over Pulkkinen?

Lando, Miller, Andersson, Jurco... So redundant. All practically play the same game.